John Kiplimo Lelei

John Kiplimo Lelei (born 15 August 1958) is a Kenyan prelate of the Catholic Church who is the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet since 10 July 2025. Before then, since 27 March 2024, he was Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Eldoret. He concurrently served as Titular Bishop of Mons in Numidia, while auxiliary bishop. He was appointed bishop by Pope Francis on 27 March 2024. He was consecrated at the Mother of Apostles Seminary in Eldoret on 25 May 2024. On 10 July 2025, The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV transferred him to the Diocese of Kapsabet, a new diocese that he created that same day, and made him the local ordinary there. His installation at Kapsabet diocese followed on 30 August 2025 at the Eliud Kipchoge Sports Complex.

Early life and education He was born on 15 August 1958 in Soy, Apostolic Prefecture of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, in western Kenya. He studied philosophy at Saint Augustine's Senior Seminary in Mabanga, Bungoma County. He then transferred to Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi, where he studied theology. He holds a Doctorate in theology, with specialization in liturgy awarded by the University of Vienna (German:Universität Wien).

Priest John Kiplimo Lelei was ordained a priest on 26 October 1985 for the diocese of Eldoret. He served as a priest until 27 March 2024. He was consecrated bishop at Eldoret on 25 May 2024. The Principal Consecrator was Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, Titular Archbishop of Novaliciana assisted by Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Archbishop of Kisumu and Dominic Kimengich, Bishop of Eldoret.